Dahlia plant named Bayelor

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar Dahlia plant named Bayelor, characterized by its compact growth habit; small leaves and inflorescences that are proportional to the overall plant size; ease of propagation; numerous inflorescences per plant; and ray florets that are orange when immature and become yellow during development with dark yellow disc florets.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant, botanically known as Dahlia hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Bayelor.

The new Dahlia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor in Quedlinburg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to create new Dahlia cultivars having a compact growth habit suitable for 7 to 9-cm container production, small inflorescences, desirable inflorescence colors, and inflorescences and foliage with good substance.

The new Dahlia originated from a cross made by the inventor of the inventor's proprietary Dahlia seedling selections. The cultivar Bayelor was discovered and selected by the inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of this cross in a controlled environment in Quedlinburg, Germany.

Asexual reproduction of the new Dahlia by terminal cuttings taken at Quedlinburg, Germany, has shown that the unique features of this new Dahlia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of Bayelor. These characteristics in combination distinguish Bayelor as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Compact growth habit, suitable for 7 to 9-cm containers. Plants do not require growth retardants.

2. Small leaves and inflorescences that are proportional to the overall plant size.

3. Excellent rooting and easy to propagate.

4. Numerous inflorescences per plant.

5. Ray florets orange when immature, becoming yellow during development with dark yellow disc florets.

The new Dahlia has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

Compared to the female parent, plants of the new Dahlia have smaller inflorescences. Plants of the new Dahlia differ from the male parent in ray floret color.

Plants of the new Dahlia are similar to the cultivar Margaret (disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,769) in ray floret color. However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted in Quedlinburg, Germany, under commercial practice, plants of the new Dahlia differed from plants of the cultivar Margaret in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Dahlia are more compact and shorter than plants of the cultivar Margaret.

2. Leaves of plants of the new Dahlia are smaller than leaves of plants of the cultivar Margaret.

3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Dahlia are smaller than inflorescences of plants of the cultivar Margaret.

4. The developing ray florets of the new Dahlia are orange whereas the developing ray florets of the cultivar Margaret are light yellow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

The first photograph comprises a top perspective view of a typical flowering plant of Bayelor.

The upper photograph on the second sheet of photographs comprises a top perspective view of immature (top) and mature (bottom) leaves. The upper and under sides of the leaves are shown.

The lower photograph comprises a top perspective view of upper (left) and under (right) sides of developing inflorescences.

The upper photograph on the third sheet of photographs comprises a top perspective view of developing inflorescences. From right to left are an opening flower bud, a developing inflorescence, a fully developed inflorescence, and a fully developed inflorescence with ray florets removed.

The lower photograph comprises a top perspective view of upper and under sides of excised immature (left) and fully expanded (right) ray florets. Foliage and floret colors in the photographs may appear different from the actual colors due to light reflectance.

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Quedlinburg, Germany, during the winter season under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse with average night temperatures of 15C, average day temperatures of 20C, and light levels of 2,500 lux.

Botanical classification: Dahlia hybrida cultivar Bayelor.

Commercial classification: Pot Dahlia.

Parentage:

Male, or pollen, parent.--Proprietary Dahlia seedling selection.

Female, or seed, parent.--Proprietary Dahlia seedling selection.

Propagation:

Type.--Terminal tip cuttings.

Time to rooting.15 to 20 days with soil temperatures of 20C.

Rooting habit.--Propagates easily, roots fibrous and well-branched

Plant description:

Appearance.--Perennial herbaceous potted plant. Bushy with stems upright. Freely branching, plants do not require pinching. Compact growth habit and moderate growth rate. Suitable for 7 to 9-cm containers. From a rooted cutting, six weeks are required to produce a flowering pot plant.

Plant height.--About 17 cm.

Stem description.--Internode length: 2 to 3 cm. Diameter: 2 to 3 mm. Color: 144B.

Foliage description.--Arrangement: Young foliage: Single. Fully expanded: Compound, trifoliate. Leaf size: Young foliage: Length: About 3 cm. Width: About 2.5 cm. Mature foliage: Length: About 5.5 cm. Width: About 3 cm. Leaf/leaflet shape: Ovate. Leaf/leaflet apex: Acuminate. Leaf/leaflet base: Attenuate. Leaf/leaflet margin: Serrated. Leaf/leaflet texture: Smooth, glabrous. Petiole length: About 2 cm. Color: Young foliage upper surface: 137B. Young foliage under surface: 138B/138C. Fully expanded foliage upper surface: 137B. Fully expanded foliage under surface: 138B/138C. Petiole: 144B.

Flowering description:

Appearance.--Daisy inflorescence form. Inflorescences borne on terminals above foliage, arising from leaf axils. Disc and ray florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum.

Flowering response.--Under natural conditions, plants flower continuous in the summer/autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. At other times of the year, inflorescence initiation and development can be induced under long day/short night conditions (less than 11 hours of darkness). Inflorescences persistent.

Inflorescence size.--Diameter: 3.5 to 4.5 cm. Depth (height): About 2 cm.

Flower bud.--Shape: Ovoid. Size: Length: 10 to 15 mm. Diameter: 8 to 12 mm. Color: 144B to 151C.

Ray florets.--Shape: Oblanceolate. Size: Length: About 2 cm. Width: About 0.8 cm. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture: Satiny, smooth and glabrous. Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About 60, and four rows of florets. Color: Immature: Upper surface: 30D, 5B at distal and proximal ends. Under surface: 30D, 5B at distal and proximal ends. Fully expanded: Upper surface: 5B. Under surface: 5B.

Disc florets.--Number of disc florets per inflorescence: 20 to 30. Color: 17C.

Peduncle.--Aspect: Erect and strong. Length: 2.5 to 4 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 144B.

Sepals.--Quantity per inflorescence: At least 5. Shape: Oblanceolate. Tip: Acute. Margin: Entire. Color: 137B.

Reproductive organs.--Androecium: Anther size: 2 to 3 mm. Anther color: 17C. Pollen: 17C. Gynoecium: Not present on all ray florets. Style length: About 2 mm. Style color: 17C. Stigma color: 17C.

Disease resistance: No known Dahlia diseases observed to date on plants grown under commercial greenhouse conditions.

Seed production: Seed production has not been observed. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant named Bayelor, as illustrated and described. 